Three teens faced children's court yesterday over alleged traffic offences in Lismore.

Operation Regional Mongoose is a high-visibility police operation aimed at curbing serious property-related crime, committed predominately by young offenders.

About 1:30am yesterday (Wednesday, 1 January 2025), police were told three teenagers on board an alleged stolen vehicle, failed to pay for fuel on Ballina Road, Lismore.

A short time later, officers attached to Richmond Police District sighted the vehicle on Woodburn-Evans Head Road, Doonbah.

Police attempted to stop the vehicle; however, it failed to stop, and a pursuit was initiated.

The pursuit continued onto the M1 Motorway before heading westbound on the Bruxner Highway, where the vehicle allegedly reached speeds of 170-180kmph in a 110kmph area.

Road spikes were successfully deployed, and the vehicle came to a stop at the intersection of Alphadale Road and the Bruxner Highway, Lindendale.

The occupants ran from the scene; however, they were located and arrested a short time later.

Three teens, aged 14, were taken to Lismore Police Station and charged with a range of offences including:

• Police pursuit,
• Drive conveyance taken w/o consent of owner,
• Use offensive weapon to prevent lawful detention, 
• Dishonestly obtain property by deception,
• Be carried in conveyance taken w/o consent of owner

All were refused bail and appeared before a children’s court yesterday (Wednesday, 1 January 2025).